and hide yourself," said his mother.

So in came the old hag.

"Good day," said she.

"God bless you!" said Buttercup's mother.

"Isn't your Buttercup at home to-day?" asked the hag.

"No, that he isn't. He's out in the wood with his father, shooting
grouse."

"Plague take it," said the hag, "for I had such a nice little silver
knife I wanted to give him."

"Pip, pip! here I am," said Buttercup under the kneading-trough, and
out he came.

"I'm so old and stiff in the back," said the hag, "you must creep into
the bag and fetch it out for yourself."

But when Buttercup was well into the bag, the hag threw it over her
back and strode off, and when they had gone a good bit of the way, the
old hag got tired and asked,

"How far is it off to Snoring?"

"Half a mile," answered Buttercup.

So the hag put down the sack on the road, and went aside by herself
into the wood, and lay down to sleep. Meantime Buttercup set to work
and cut a hole in the sack with his knife; then he crept out and put a
great root of a fir-tree into the sack, and ran home to his mother.

When the hag got home and saw what there was in the sack, you may
fancy she was in a fine rage.

Next day the old wife sat and baked again, and her dog began to bark,
just as he did the day before.

"Run out, Buttercup, my boy," said she, "and see what Goldtooth is
barking at."

"Well, I never!" cried Buttercup, as soon as he got out; "if there
isn't that ugly old beast coming again with her head under her arm and
a great sack at her back."

"Under the kneading-trough with you and hide," said his mother.

"Good day!" said the hag; "is your Buttercup at home to-day?"

"I'm sorry to say he isn't," said his mother; "he's out in the wood
with his father, shooting grouse."

"What a bore!" said the hag; "here I have a beautiful little silver
spoon I want to give him."

"Pip, pip! here I am," said Buttercup, and crept out.

"I'm so stiff in the back," said the old witch, "you must creep into
the sack and fetch it out for yourself."

So when Buttercup was well into the sack, the hag swung it over her
shoulders and set off home as fast as her legs could carry her. But
when they had gone a good bit she grew weary, and asked,

"How far is it off to Snoring?"

"A mile and a half," answered Buttercup.

So the hag set down the sack, and went aside into the wood to sleep
a bit, but while she slept Buttercup made a hole in the sack and got
out, and p